The Rover by Aphra Behn English Hons (Delhi University)

Aphra Behn (1640-1689), a bold and courageous voice in the literature of the Restoration period, has been in the focus of academic critical attention in the last two decades. As a result of this growing interest in her writing among scholars, Aphra Behn has come to be recognized not merely as a symbol of early female protest but also pioneer in English novel writing. The Rover(1677), her most popular play presents women not as weak sentimental characters wooed by males but as equals in wit, invention and vigour. These female creations of Aphra Behn also tell a tale of social subjucation compunded by the new mercantalilist forces of the day. The Rover is expected to be of interest equally to the lay reader who needs to be told of a long tradition of female resistance and assertion in English writing. The modern reader can imbibe from Aphra Behn the value of gender-equality in colloquial speech as also rejection of the idea of women as commodities in the market. The recognition and the bold representation of female sexuality is the third thing that clearly stands out in the play. The critical edition contains An Introduction and four essays in this volume aim to excite critical enquiry about Aphra Behn's writing in general and her play The rover in particular. These essays place the author and the play in a historical and social context and provide readings from different perspectives so as to enhance our understanding of both from different angles.